books

I was once a voracious novel reader. Since having kids, with so many other things fighting for priority, it has gone by the wayside. Never mind. Books will always be there when I'm ready. Isn't that one of their charms? Books will always be there when you're ready.

First up, here are a few treasures from my childhood.

Norman Lindsay's best-known work was The Magic Pudding but this was my favourite. He was also a fabulous artist.

Rebecca's World was a story I disappeared into time and again. I recently learned that the author Terry Nation was an early scriptwriter for Dr Who and created the Daleks. Looking at this book now I see it has a strong environmental message, which I imagine was fairly cutting-edge for children's books of the seventies.

This collection of Oscar Wilde's children's fables is a such a tear-jerker. Really. **sob** Tragically beautiful.

I adored the Moomin stories as a girl and have since indoctrinated the whole family. My original book pictured here with a 'hattifattener' teacup collected in recent years.

And the girl grew up...

I guess I've grown out of this a little now since it's a story about the summer after finishing uni, but this is a novel I have read over and over and its impact lingers. I referred to it a while back here.

This is actually the cover of another of his books but I think the quote could equally apply to my favourite of Nicholson Baker's, The Fermata (my copy of which has disappeared on loan somewhere). It's a bit saucy.

And my copy of Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates by Tom Robbins? Also on loan (and I hope being enjoyed) who-knows-where so I'll have to make do with this excerpt written by me in chalk above our kitchen doors. It was an awkward space to decorate and it seemed like a neat temporary idea about, ah, five or six years ago. Jasper's second name is Switters, after the book's hero, but he's not allowed to read it for, ahem, quite a while. Excuse the spiderwebs.

And then there are books we use as tools. I honestly couldn't pick a favourite sewing book so I'm plumping for a work-tool that is simply genius (oracle, guru, mentor, shining light, authority, adviser, expert, teacher, guide). Mr P. M. Roget, I salute you.

And from pure words to pure images: an iPhoto book created by Jasper for Clem when he was a wee toddler.

Jasper planned out the photos and took them all on his camera. On the back cover is a photo of his list of shots.

 And here is a sample spread:

I'm sure I could go on. And on. But a more productive idea would be to go read something, wouldn't it?

- Jane x